AIChE at UC Riverside understands the need to be environmentally friendly and therefore, this year we have revisited and redesigned a previous project called the Desalinator. Fresh water is essential for life, with no substitute. The purpose of the original Desalinator was to be able to cheaply and effectively purify and collect water from the abundant water source of the ocean while at or near any beach. This project has been redesigned to be applicable near any water source, be it salt water or contaminated water. The Project designers have come up with a slight modification to a pre-existing proven Solar Still technology to make it even more efficient and effective. Project members are scheduled to begin construction during the current Spring of 2013 Quarter. The goals are to have this project finished and tested by the Fall Quarter of 2014.

AIChE at UC Riverside is interested in bridging general ideas of science to the average consumer. Currently, AIChE is developing a product that utilizes thermoelectric generators to power a pump for a fountain. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are devices that convert a temperature difference directly into electrical power. A temperature difference across the TEG causes electrons to move away from the hot side toward the cold side, producing an electric current. In the current design, candles provide the heat needed to operate a pump which allows water to flow over the TEGs to dissipate heat, maintaining the temperature difference. Since TEGs depend on temperature difference, the TEGs must not reach thermal equilibrium. If thermal equilibrium is reached, the flow of electrons from one side to the other will cease, thus ending the production of electricity.

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